Image Source: PexelsThough the competencies needed to become an instructional designer are as vast and complex as those needed to become a librarian, there are several key instructional design skills covered in this chapter in which all developing instructional librarians should become familiar. These are foundational skills to information literacy instruction and are used in the process of planning and developing student learning. These skills include:
- Writing learning objectives,
- Instructional planning with backward design (an important component of the ACRL Framework), and
- Applying Gagne's 9 Events during the course of instruction (Robert Gagne is considered to be the father of instructional design).
All of these skills are integral to designing and developing student-centered learning because they place the learner at the forefront of all instructional decision making. Who are your learners? What do your learners need to know? What do they already know? What tasks and activities will help them successfully achieve the learning objectives?
To get started, here are three essential questions (Wiggins & McTighe, 2013) we ask you to consider while reading this chapter:
Chapter 5 Essential Questions
EQ1. What makes instruction effective?
EQ2. How do librarians benefit from instructional design knowledge?
EQ3. What does it mean to be an instructional design librarian?
5.1 Writing Learning Objectives
This section was adapted from Chapter 40 of Maverick Learning and Educational Applied Research Nexus Copyright © 2021 by Minnesota State University, Mankato is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.
Learning objectives are clear, concise statements that describe what students will know or be able to do by the end of the course or lesson. Learning objectives usually begin with an action verb and they define something that is measurable (something that can be assessed). Learning objectives are often used interchangeably with the terms outcomes or learning goals.
Effective learning outcomes are beneficial because they:
- Provide learners with a clear target/goal for the course
- Direct selection of appropriate assessment strategies
- Guide selection of effective learning activities
Effective learning outcomes create the foundation for alignment in your course or lesson. Alignment is the idea that all components of a instruction work together to help the student master the concepts and skills of the course. A well-written learning objective will define exactly what you expect the audience to learn within parameters (such as length of course/unit/lesson) and how you will measure this.
An effective learning objective is:
- Measurable/Observable
- Specific/Relevant
- Succinct
The ABC's of Writing Effective Learning Objectives
Audience: Who will be doing the behavior/skill?
Behavior: What will the audience be doing?
Condition: Under what constraints will the audience be doing it?
Degree: What is the level of acceptable performance?
Word selection is essential in writing effective learning objectives. Choose language that is objectively measurable and specific.
Example: Learners will be able to articulate at least three key differences between magazine articles and scholarly journal articles.
- Measurable/Observable: Yes, you can measure the articulation of differences.
- Specific/Relevant: Yes, this specifies two types of periodicals.
- Succinct: This is a concise objective.
Example: Learners will understand the difference between magazine articles and scholarly journal articles.
- Measurable/Observable: “understand” is not measurable unless paired with a measurable method of assessment.
- Specific/Relevant: “difference” can be interpreted vaguely unless given specific parameters.
- Succinct: This is succinct but is not measurable or specific enough to be effective.
5.1.1 Using Bloom's Taxonomy
When writing learning objectives or outcomes, you should also consider the appropriate level of cognition for the scope of your lesson and audience. Bloom’s Taxonomy is a useful tool for selecting the appropriate level of cognition when writing learning objectives.
- The lower levels of cognition in Bloom’s represent things like remembering, understanding, and applying. Introductory courses tend to have a greater proportion of learning outcomes at these levels of cognition.
- The higher levels of cognition represent things like analyzing, evaluating, and creating. Upper-level and graduate courses tend to have a greater proportion of objectives at these levels of cognition.
See this visual representation of Bloom’s Revised Taxonomy that illustrates six levels of cognitive function with correlating verbs, activities, and assessments. Use this chart to help you write effective, measurable learning objectives at the appropriate levels of cognition for your course.
5.1.2 On the Web
Even more resources that may be helpful to you in writing measurable learning objectives.
5.2 Instructional Planning with Backward Design
This section was adapted from Chapter 39 of Maverick Learning and Educational Applied Research Nexus Copyright © 2021 by Minnesota State University, Mankato is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.
Backward design is a process that educators and librarians may use to design learning experiences and instructional techniques to achieve specific learning goals.